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Tata Motors EVs seem to have had their backs against the wall for a while, and the onslaught of Chinese EVs is to blame. Don’t be fooled, Tata EVs have had their fair share of success. The Nexon EVs did fairly well and the Tiago EV achieved great traction with its value-for-money proposition. Add to this their impeccable safety ratings and features, and Tata proves to be a force to be reckoned with.
However, it wasn’t all smooth sailing. Chinese cars, with their plethora of features, attractive designs, large screens, and aggressive pricing proved to be a thorn in their side. More serious concerns for Tata buyers came with the discrepancies in claimed and actual range from their vehicles.
During our chat with one of the big heads at the company, they brought up a good point. If you’re the type of person who has to travel across the country between cities, you might find better alternatives than the Tata Punch (or any other Tata EV for that matter).
For city commuting, range won't be an issue, and with Tata, you get several other assurances that you don't find with other EVs. Their words, not ours. We will concede, there is a sense of assurance that you get with a company that you have seen develop in front of your own eyes for well over a decade. They’ve come a long way from the primitive Tata Indicas of the yesteryears.
The new Tata commuter cars are modern in features and aesthetics. We loved the way the Tata Punch looked when it first arrived. It was small, but it looked purposeful like it meant business. The EV variant looked just as good. As for most other Tata EVs, the basic formula remained pretty much the same: take the ICE version, make it look like an attractive EV, and add a bunch of features. Except, there is more.
The Punch EV is Tata's first model built on the new Acti.ev architecture, a fully redesigned version of its ICE platform specifically for electric vehicles. Unlike the Nexon EV, which saw only minor adjustments to its ICE platform for faster market entry, the Punch EV benefits from a much more extensive overhaul.
Tata Motors has reworked the floor to be flat and created a larger recess to house the centrally positioned battery pack. While an underslung battery often reduces ground clearance, the Punch EV has higher clearance thanks to a 20mm floor raise, resulting in a ground clearance of 190mm—3mm higher than the ICE Punch, making it better equipped for handling speed bumps.
Another significant benefit of the new Acti.ev architecture is that the battery pack serves as a stressed member, enhancing the chassis's torsional stiffness (how resistant the chassis is to twisting forces).
In the Punch EV, this stiffness is 30 percent greater than that of the ICE version. A stiffer chassis is advantageous not only for improving crash safety but also for enabling softer damper settings, which enhance ride comfort without sacrificing body control.
Aesthetically, the Punch EV doesn’t stray too far from its petrol counterpart, but with subtle EV tweaks like a blanked-out grille, a central charging port, and LED strips that now form the brand's EV signature. The bold, sculpted body design remains, riding on 16-inch wheels that fit snugly within the wheel arches. However, the rear stands out with its aggressive sculpting and eye-catching arrow-themed tail lights.
Inside, you’re greeted by dual 10.2-inch screens loaded with features like wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Tata’s Arcade. ev suite. The entire cabin feels like a refreshing change from the button-less, minimal cabins with large screens that we have been in lately.
You get a sense of nostalgic familiarity inside the cabin of the Tata Punch EV and we quite liked that. Features like ventilated seats and a bunch of buttons and knobs were to our liking. However, touch-sensitive buttons are still not our favourite, and we could have gone without the tiny sunroof.
Its high ground clearance and enhanced under-thigh support in the rear seats make it a comfortable compact SUV. However, headroom can feel cramped in sunroof-equipped models, and legroom in the rear is best suited for shorter passengers.
The top variant, Empowered+, brings premium features like leatherette seats, a 360-degree camera, and blindspot monitoring, putting the Punch EV in a higher league.
The Tata Punch EV comes in two variants: one with a 25kWh battery pack and another with a larger 35kWh pack. Tata claims the smaller pack provides a range of 315km, while the larger one stretches it to 421km. Realistically though, you would be getting something around the 300km mark.
While the Punch EV promises adequate range for city use, it may not be the best for long-haul drives, especially compared to more advanced competitors.
Charging is handled through a single CCS2 port, with a max DC charging speed of 25kW. That means going from 10% to 80% takes about 56 minutes—not exactly the quickest by today's EV standards, but manageable. For home charging, you get options for a 3.3kW portable charger or a 7.2kW AC wall-mounted unit.
Performance-wise, Tata’s decision to dial down the aggressive initial torque delivery might irk enthusiasts, but in everyday conditions, it performs smoothly. Three driving modes—City, Eco, and Sport—allow for flexibility, with Sport mode being the most exhilarating, propelling the car from 0-100 km/h in just 9.5 seconds.
Still, it’s not all about speed. Regenerative braking in four levels offers good control, though you’ll need to use the brakes for a full stop. The option of using the paddle shifters to toggle through the brake regeneration levels is also a fun little element in the car. We found ourselves using the paddle shifters to adjust the regen levels a lot more than we typically would have if we had to fiddle with screens or buttons.
Comfort and ride quality are where the Punch EV excels. Tata has softened the suspension, allowing for a smooth ride over city roads and rough terrain alike. The high ground clearance also makes it a good candidate for rougher roads.
The approach and departure angles are also genuinely favourable for light off-roading, should you ever find yourself in such terrain. Nevertheless, we would still not recommend you go searching for trouble on slippery slopes with the Tata Punch EV.
All things considered, the Punch EV ticks most boxes for a practical city commuter. The range is still not confidence-inspiring if you are travelling longer distances between cities. But, if you are primarily driving to commute within the city, it is not a problem. Nearby weekenders will also not pose any significant problems.
What could be a problem is the pricing. The Tata Punch EV starts at a price of Rs.33.99 Lakh and slots itself between its own Nexon EV and the more affordable Tiago EV. In competition with the Punch EV is the Nammi 01 which starts at a price of Rs.29.99 Lakh, undercutting the Punch by Rs 4 Lakh.
The Nammi comes with a pretty good list of features as well. Then, there is the Dayun Yuehu which is priced at Rs.31 Lakh. Cheaper still is the BAW Brumby, although it might not be in the segment. There are other options in the market, but the Tata moniker has been around for the longest. At the moment this counts for a lot, especially with other new EV brands still jostling in the proving grounds.
The Punch EV is loaded with features, comfortable for daily drives, and comes with the backing of Tata’s build quality and reputation. It may not thrill performance seekers, but for those who prioritize safety, comfort, and reliability, this little EV does provide plenty.
Despite all that it offers as a product and a brand, the Tata Punch EV might not create too many waves in the market. The availability of so many options in the market does play a role in the impact the car has in the market, and on how customers perceive the Punch EV. There is still plenty to fight for.
